Goodnight Mister Tom, at the Richmond Theatre

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A delightful show writes Anne Flaherty

Author Michelle Magorian was inspired to write Goodnight Mister Tom (198) after hearing her mother’s tales about her time as a nurse in the war. The uplifting tale, about the unlikely friendship between a young war evacuee and an elderly recluse, is now a modern classic and is brought gloriously to life in this magical stage adaptation by David Wood.

The Chichester Festival Theatre production, which plays until Saturday (9 April) in the Richmond Theatre, is on tour, fresh from its West End run, and stars David Troughton (Tony Archer in BBC Radio 4's The Archers , Grantchester) as ‘Mister Tom’ Oakley.

Images- Dan Tsantilis

Set during the build up and outbreak of the Second World War, Goodnight Mister Tom follows the fortunes of 11-year old William Beech ( Joe Reynolds in this performance ) who is evacuated to the English countryside and forges a remarkable and heart-warming friendship with the elderly recluse, Tom Oakley (David Troughton).

Troughton gives a sensitive and finely judged performance in the role of the grieving widower, who has turned his back on society, but has to shake himself out of his isolation to help the sickly, traumatised child who is sent to billet with him in the small Dorset community of Little Weirwold.

Together, the two overcome their emotional difficulties, Oakley, who has been grieving the loss of his wife and baby for forty years, and William, who has been traumatised from the beatings of his religiously fanatical mother in London. When William is sent back to London, Tom goes to find him and there's a harrowing scene in the Beech family home which is sensitively portrayed. Tom has to follow his instincts and battle official opinion to decide what's best for the young boy.

It's an emotional tale, and there were lots of sniffles in the audiance but the healing power of love shines through. The use of puppets for the animals, such as squirrels, birds, adds an extra dimension for children and the excellent Elisa de Grey (lead puppeteer) playing Sammy the dog, warrants a special mention for her superb performance.

Another stand-out performance came from Sonny Kirby, as Zach, the wise-cracking, loveable, extrovert evacuee who befriends William.

The ensemble cast also features Clark Devlin, Guy Lewis, Simon Markey, Abigail Matthews, Jane Milligan, Martha Seignior, James Staddon, Melle Stewart, Georgina Sutton and Hollie Taylor. They delivered a slick and cohesive performance, adapting swiftly to the various roles. In fact, all the performances are first-class.

The set is also impressively versatile, and works like a drawbridge, seamlessly turning from rural Dorset into an air-raid shelter, a hospital, and William's Deptford home.

David Wood’s stage adaptation enjoyed great critical acclaim in 2012/13, winning the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment for Family and it's easy to see why. It's been adapted for the stage by David Wood OBE, the country’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children. The production is ably directed by Angus Jackson.

Goodnight Mister Tom is poignant, but uplifting. It's about how the power of love can heal trauma and loss, and is just the ticket for an Easter holiday treat before it moves on from Richmond for its UK tour.

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Anne Flaherty

April 5, 2016